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Academic Excellence Scheme
Recognising achievement by rewarding academic excellence
The Academic Excellence Scheme recognises high performance in English and mathematics by applying adjustment factors to boost your selection rank.
Depending on the course you have applied for and whether you achieved a Band 5 or 6 (or equivalent) in high-level English or mathematics, you can have an adjustment of up to five points added to your ATAR or equivalent IB score, to raise your selection rank for an eligible course.
If your ATAR or equivalent IB score is up to five points below the entry requirement for your course of choice, through excellence in English or mathematics you can potentially still gain entry to that course.
Am I eligible?
You will automatically be considered for the Academic Excellence Scheme if:
- you are a domestic current school leaver applying for an undergraduate course at the University of Sydney (via UAC) to commence study in 2023, and
- you are completing the NSW Higher School Certificate (HSC) or any other Australian state or territory Year 12 qualification, or the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma, in or outside Australia in the year prior to admission, and
- have achieved one of the below results in English or mathematics:
| Subject | Required band performance | |
|---|---|---|
| NSW 2022 HSC Subject | English Advanced | 5 or 6 |
| English Ext. 1 | E4 | |
| English Ext. 2 | E4 | |
| IB 2022 Year 12 Subject | English A: Language and Literature (HL) | 5, 6 or 7 |
| English A: Literature (HL) | 5, 6 or 7 |
Interstate students
For the equivalent subjects and grades required in interstate year 12 qualifications, visit the UAC website.
| Subject | Required band performance | |
|---|---|---|
| NSW 2022 HSC Subject | Mathematics Advanced | 5 or 6 |
| Mathematics Ext. 1 | E4 | |
| Mathematics Ext. 2 | E4 | |
| IB 2022 Year 12 Subject | Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations HL | 5, 6 or 7 |
| Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL | 6 or 7 | |
| Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL | 5, 6 or 7 |
Interstate students
For the equivalent subjects and grades required in interstate year 12 qualifications, visit the UAC website.
| Band 5 | Band 6 (E4) | |
|---|---|---|
| B Architecture and Environments | 3 | 5 |
| B Design (Interaction Design) | 3 | 5 |
| B Design/B Advanced Studies (Interaction Design) | 3 | 5 |
| B Design in Architecture | 3 | 5 |
| Band 5 | Band 6 (E4) | |
|---|---|---|
| B Arts | 3 | 5 |
| B Arts/B Advanced Studies | 3 | 5 |
| B Arts/B Advanced Studies (International and Global Studies) | 3 | 5 |
| B Arts/B Advanced Studies (Languages) | 3 | 5 |
| B Arts/B Advanced Studies (Politics and International Relations) |
3 | 5 |
| B Visual Arts | 3 | 5 |
| B Visual Arts/B Advanced Studies | 3 | 5 |
| Band 5 | Band 6 (E4) | |
|---|---|---|
| B Commerce | 3 | 5 |
| B Commerce/B Advanced Studies | 3 | 5 |
| Band 5 | Band 6 (E4) | |
|---|---|---|
| B Economics | 3 | 5 |
| B Economics/B Advanced Studies | 3 | 5 |
| Band 5 | Band 6 (E4) | |
|---|---|---|
| B Education (Early Childhood) | 3 | 5 |
| B Education (Health and Physical Education) | 3 | 5 |
| B Education (Primary) | 3 | 5 |
| B Education (Secondary) | 3 | 5 |
| B Education/B Advanced Studies (Secondary) | 3 | 5 |
| B Social Work | 3 | 5 |
| B Arts/B Social Work | 3 | 5 |
| Band 5 | Band 6 (E4) | |
|---|---|---|
| B Advanced Computing | 3 | 5 |
| B Advanced Computing/B Commerce | 3 | 5 |
| B Advanced Computing/B Science | 3 | 5 |
| B Advanced Computing/B Science (Health) | 3 | 5 |
| B Advanced Computing/B Science (Medical Science) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Aeronautical) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Biomedical) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Chemical and Biomolecular) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Civil) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Electrical) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Flexible First Year) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Mechanical) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Mechatronic) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Software) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours/B Arts | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours/B Commerce | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours/B Science | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Civil)/B Design in Architecture | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours/B Project Management | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Biomedical)/B Science (Health) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Biomedical)/B Science (Medical Science) | 3 | 5 |
| B Project Management | 3 | 5 |
| Band 5 | Band 6 (E4) | |
|---|---|---|
| B Applied Science (Exercise and Sport Science) | 3 | 5 |
| B Applied Science/B Advanced Studies (Exercise and Sport Science) | 3 | 5 |
| B Applied Science (Exercise Physiology) | 3 | 5 |
| B Arts/M Nursing | 3 | 5 |
| B Nursing (Advanced Studies) | 3 | 5 |
| B Pharmacy (Honours)/M Pharmacy Practice | 3 | 5 |
| B Pharmacy and Management (Honours)/M Pharmacy Practice | 3 | 5 |
| B Science/M Nursing | 3 | 5 |
| B Science (Health)/M Nursing | 3 | 5 |
| B Science/M Nutrition and Dietetics | 3 | 5 |
| Band 5 | Band 6 (E4) | |
|---|---|---|
| B Music | 3 | 5 |
| B Music (Composition) | 3 | 5 |
| B Music (Music Education) | 3 | 5 |
| B Music (Performance) | 3 | 5 |
| B Music/B Advanced Studies (Composition) | 3 | 5 |
| B Music/B Advanced Studies (Performance) | 3 | 5 |
| Band 5 | Band 6 (E4) | |
|---|---|---|
| B Liberal Arts and Science | 3 | 5 |
| B Psychology | 1 | 2 |
| B Psychology Honours | 1 | 2 |
| B Science | 3 | 5 |
| B Science (Health) | 3 | 5 |
| B Science (Medical Science) | 3 | 5 |
| B Science/B Advanced Studies | 3 | 5 |
| B Science/B Advanced Studies (Advanced) | 3 | 5 |
| B Science/B Advanced Studies (Agriculture) | 3 | 5 |
| B Science/B Advanced Studies (Animal and Veterinary Bioscience) | 3 | 5 |
| B Science/B Advanced Studies (Food and Agribusiness) | 3 | 5 |
| B Science/B Advanced Studies (Health) | 3 | 5 |
| B Science/B Advanced Studies (Medical Science) | 3 | 5 |
| B Science/B Advanced Studies (Taronga Wildlife Conservation) | 3 | 5 |
| B Science/M Mathematical Sciences | 3 | 5 |
| B Veterinary Biology/D Veterinary Medicine | 1 | 2 |
These courses are not included in the Academic Excellence Scheme:
- B Applied Science (Diagnostic Radiography)
- B Applied Science (Occupational Therapy)
- B Applied Science (Physiotherapy)
- B Applied Science (Speech Pathology)
- B Arts (Sciences Po Dual Degree)
- B Arts/B Advanced Studies (Dalyell Scholars)
- B Arts/B Advanced Studies (Media and Communications)
- B Arts/B Laws
- B Arts/D Medicine
- B Commerce/B Advanced Studies (Dalyell Scholars)
- B Commerce/B Laws
- B Design in Architecture (Honours)/M Architecture
- B Economics (Sciences Po Dual Degree)
- B Economics/B Laws
- B Engineering Honours/B Laws
- B Engineering Honours (Dalyell Scholars)
- B Engineering Honours with Space Engineering
- B Oral Health
- B Science/B Advanced Studies (Dalyell Scholars including Mathematical Sciences)
- B Science/B Laws
- B Science/D Dental Medicine
- B Science/D Medicine
Please note that the Scheme cannot be used as an adjustment factor for entry into the Dalyell Stream in eligible degrees. Entry to the Dalyell Stream is on the basis of your unadjusted ATAR. Selection ranks for entry to the Dalyell Stream are available here.
Do you have further questions?
Take a look at the frequently asked questions below or contact us for more information.
Adjustment factors will automatically be added following the release of your Year 12 results to UAC. For most eligible students, this will mean that the subject-based adjustment factors will raise your selection rank by up to 5 points for eligible courses from December round 2 offers released by UAC.
Most undergraduate courses at the University of Sydney have Guaranteed Entry. This means, if you achieve the guaranteed selection rank and any other non-ATAR admission criteria that may apply, you are eligible to receive an offer if you placed that course as your highest eligible preference.
The Academic Excellence Scheme aims to encourage prospective students to put their course of choice as their highest eligible preference even if their ATAR is a few points below the entry requirements. This is because the subject-related adjustments can raise your selection rank for eligible courses helping you potentially achieve the guaranteed rank.
Yes. All other admission criteria including the mathematics course prerequisites still apply where relevant. The Academic Excellence Scheme supports admission into the course only by applying adjustment factors to raise your selection rank for eligible courses.
International Baccalaureate (IB) applicants eligible for the Academic Excellence Scheme will have any earned ATAR Adjustment Factors added to their ATAR equivalent rank and not their IB score (out of 45).
No. Only one subject in either English or mathematics will be considered. Points based on adjustment factors do not accumulate if you have achieved the required band in more than one subject. For example, if you achieved a Band 6 in HSC Mathematics and E4 in Mathematics Extension 1, only one of these results is required to be considered under the Academic Excellence Scheme.
The maximum number of points that you can receive under the Academic Excellence Scheme for eligible courses is 5, except for the Bachelor of Psychology and Bachelor of Veterinary Biology/Doctor of Veterinary Medicine which do not award the maximum.
At the University of Sydney, you may be eligible for multiple ATAR adjustment schemes, but you will only be awarded the ATAR adjustment factors of highest benefit to you. You cannot accumulate points across multiple ATAR adjustment schemes.
